The ABAC Stallions baseball team has hit the field and their regular season has officially started. Coached by Brandon Reeder, the Stallions are returning to their regular season with a championship underneath their belt. They entered as the fourth seed in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association and the Stallions became champions. 

     During the fall, they had a round of scrimmage games and practices. Their spring semester started with the first practice on Jan. 10. Coach Reeder plans to practice every day between then and the season beginning. The season officially begins Jan. 25 with a doubleheader against St. Johns River. 

     Once the season begins, Reeder plans to cut back on practices to let the players rest. 

     "It's important for our guys to get some time off during the week to let their bodies recover and minds recoup," Reeder said. "Since we play so soon after school starting back, it's important to get as much in during our eight days before we play." 

     The Stallions' 2018 season ended on a good note with their record being 29-29 overall. They faced off against the same opponents they do every year. This year, they face off against two of their conference rivals four times each this season. 

     "It's always exciting to renew the rivalries with South Georgia and Andrew College," Reeder said. Last year, their record with South Georgia was 3-2 and their record with Andrew was 3-2. The Stallions are looking for a perfect record against both teams this year. 

     The Stallions now have a target on their back but are prepared for anything. Although some key players sustained injuries, Reeder is anxious to see some of the freshmen step up and help lead the team. 

     "I think we have a long way to go to accomplish what we did last year," he said. "It's never easy to repeat because your opponents circle the games against you on their schedule. They will all be gunning for us. We're going to have to really lean on the freshmen this season to replace the guys who finished with us last year. We just can't take any of the opponents lightly." 

     The Stallions will play two scrimmage games before the season begins. The first will be Friday, Jan. 18, at 4 p.m. against Albany State in Albany. The second will be Wednesday, Jan. 23,  at 4 p.m. against Valdosta State University in Valdosta. The season opener will be a double-header against St. Johns River State on Friday, Jan. 25, starting at 2 p.m. on The Stallion's baseball field.